Why are the smallest words in English so difficult to master? Even native speakers get very confused with the English pronouns I, me, myself, and my!
Why do we have so many different words to describe the same person? Each word is a different part of speech and has a different role to play in a sentence.
I is a subject pronoun. Use it before the verb.
A subject does the action of a verb in a sentence.
I run.
I spoke to my friend yesterday.
I went to the movies last night.
When you have a double subject that includes I, always use and I.
My mom and I love movies.
NOT: I and my mom love Christmas movies.
My mom and I or my mom and me?
If you are not sure if you should use I or me with another person, remove the other person from the sentence and check if the sentence is correct:
My mom and I love Christmas movies.
My mom and me love movies.
Me love movies is not a correct English sentence. The subject should be I, so you should say my mom and I.
Me is an object pronoun. Use it after the verb.
An object receives the action of the verb in a sentence.
He asked me a question.
She gave me her camera.
My dad told me to call.
Important note: Not all verbs are followed by an object. This is why it’s so important to focus on learning sentences. You can’t use me after certain verbs. For example,
He suggest me ...
She say me …
Can you explain me … ?
Me can also be the object of a preposition. After prepositions, use me.
Are you talking to me?
When you talk about two or more people including yourself, you can use me and … or … and me.
This is a photo of me and my brother.
This is a photo of my brother and me.
You will hear a lot of native speakers use me as a subject pronoun and say, “Me and my mom love movies.” It is common to hear this in informal, spoken English. However, many people consider this to be incorrect.
When I research grammar lessons, one of the books I use is a reference book called Practical English Usage by Michael Swan. It is published by the Oxford University Press, and it is considered the “bible” for English teachers. (That means it’s a very important book!) Here’s what Swan has to say about using me and as a subject (page 404):
These structures are often condemned as ‘incorrect’, but they have been common in educated speech for centuries. (There are examples of me in double subjects in Jane Austen’s novels, written around 1800.) They are, however, restricted to a very informal style. They are not correct in formal speech or writing.
Don’t say me and in the subject of a sentence when you are at work, or if you are taking any kind of English test (TOEFL, IEFLTS, etc.). If you do say it in informal conversation, be aware that some people may correct you.
Myself is a reflexive pronoun.
It refers back to the subject of the sentence.
Use myself instead of me when the object is the same person as the subject. In other words, use myself when you have already used I in a sentence, but you are still talking about yourself. Myself becomes the object.
I bought myself a new car!
I gave myself a manicure.
Don’t worry. I’m not going to hurt myself.
Use myself after a preposition when the object of the preposition is the same as the subject of the sentence, or the when object of the preposition and the object pronoun are the same person.
I am proud of myself!
I did it all by myself!
He asked me some questions about myself.
When I was researching this topic, I discovered a strange guideline: Don’t use myself after a preposition of place. Use me. Don’t ask me why.
I put my bag down beside me.
I closed the door behind me.
I put my book down in front of me.
I told my friend to sit next to me.
You may hear a lot of native speakers say myself instead of I or me. Native speakers can’t remember when to use I or me, but they are so afraid of using the wrong pronoun that they use myself instead. This is very common, even though it is grammatically incorrect. Don’t do this.
My is a possessive pronoun.
It shows who possesses or owns the noun. It used to be called a possessive adjective.
That’s my car!
Have you met my family?
What if you want to talk about something that you and another person have or possess?
This is my mother’s and my favorite movie!
That’s correct. You could rewrite the sentence.
My mother and I love this movie! It’s our favorite!
I included my in this lesson because I noticed native speakers writing something very strange recently. Here’s a sentence I saw recently on Facebook. This is not the first time that I have noticed a native speaker writing this:
It’s my husband’s and I’s first date alone since our son was born.
Remember the trick to determine what the correct word is? Take away the other person in the sentence.
It’s my husband’s and I’s first date
No, that’s not correct. You can’t make I possessive. Here how the sentence should have been written:
It’s my husband’s and my first date alone since our son was born.
It’s our first date alone since our son was born.
Ask the Editor
Question
When should I use «me» and when should I use «I»?
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Learners Everywhere
Answer
Sometimes it can be tricky to determine if you should be using «me» or «I» in a sentence. Use the pronoun «I» when the person speaking is doing the action, either alone or with someone else. Use the pronoun «me» when the person speaking is receiving the action of the verb in some way, either directly or indirectly. It can be difficult to know which one to use when a sentence has a compound subject or object, especially since many people use «me» in subject position and «I» in object position in speech—and this is OK to do.
The following sentences show when you should use the subject pronoun «I». In each sentence, «I» is the subject of the verb.
- I gave Cece a ride to work today.
- My friend and I went to the party.
- Before we left, Sarah and I said goodbye to the host.
The following sentences show when you should use the object pronoun «me». In each sentence, «me» is the object of the verb.
- Julie accidentally hit me with her bag as she walked by.
- Henry told Tran and me to wait for him.
- He was bullying me and my friend.
The following sentences show more cases when you should use the object pronoun «me». In each sentence, «me» is the object of a preposition.
- Kevin smiled at me.
- Cheryl and her kids gave the card to me in person.
- The bird flew over Ben and me before landing in the tree.
- The new student decided to sit with me and Kim at lunch.
It is very common for native speakers to use «me» in subject position and «I» in object position. This is fine in casual speech but should be avoided in formal writing. The following examples are some ways people might use «me» and «I» in speech.
- Me and Anne went to the corner store for drinks.
- The teacher gave the books to Jenn and I to hand out to everyone else.
- Me and my mom are going to see that new movie tonight.
- The president of the college called Robert and I to thank us.
I hope this helps. For more posts about words and usage, like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
You can read more articles in the archive.
We get more questions about pronoun usage, particularly I vs. me, than any other topic. So, here is a review that should help you feel more secure about your choices. For more on the topic, click here.
Should we say, “She and I went to the store”? Or is it correct to say, “She and me went to the store”?
Is it, “He put suntan lotion on he and I”? Or would you say, “He put suntan lotion on himself and me”?
Many of us were taught to be suspicious of and me, with the idea that its use would make us sound uneducated. But the question of whether to use I or me comes down to whether you are using the word as a subject or as an object in the sentence. Both words are pronouns, but I is a subject pronoun while me is an object pronoun.
So, in the sentence, “She and I went to the store,” the correct word to use would be I rather than me. Why? Because I is the subject of the sentence. (Who is going to the store? She and I are going to the store.)
One good way to test this rule is to see how it sounds when you use each pronoun individually: It sounds right to say, “She went to the store.” You would also say, “I went to the store.”
“He put suntan lotion on himself and me” would be correct because himself and me are objects. Specifically, they are objects of the preposition on. “He put suntan lotion on himself” is obviously correct as opposed to “on he.” You would also say, “He put suntan lotion on me,” not “on I.”
Pop Quiz
Select the correct sentence.
1A. Arlene asked he and I to complete the job.
1B. Arlene asked him and me to complete the job.
2A. He and I completed the job for Arlene.
2B. Him and me completed the job for Arlene.
Answers to Pop Quiz
1B. Arlene asked him and me to complete the job.
2A. He and I completed the job for Arlene.
Are you ready for the quiz?
I vs Me Quiz
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Is it “my friends and I” or “my friends and me”? Both I and me are pronouns. But there’s a clear difference between the two: I is what is known as a subject pronoun, and me is an object pronoun.
So what exactly does that mean?
The difference between I and me
The pronoun I can be used as the subject of a sentence, and me can only be used as the object of one. I can perform an action, while me can only have actions performed upon it.
When to use I
A subject pronoun can replace the noun (person, place, or thing) that’s performing the action (or verb) in any sentence. I is most often used as the subject of a verb. I can do things. You can say things like “I ran” or “I sneezed.” This rules applies when there is more than one noun as the subject. For example: Jennifer and I researched Isabel Allende for class. How do you know whether to use I or me here? First, ignore Jennifer and. Consider each pronoun individually. Is “I researched” or “me researched” correct? The answer is “I researched.” So I is the right pronoun to use in this case.
Traditionally, the use of I is also appropriate when it follows a linking verb like is, was, or were. Linking verbs express a state of being rather than describing an action. They’re usually paired with subject pronouns. Technically, that means saying it is I is correct, but English speakers tend to use it is me informally as well.
Examples of I in a sentence
- I fixed the remote control. (subject)
- My husband and I checked into the hotel. (subject)
- Could I speak to Vanessa? – It is I. (after a linking verb)
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When to use me
An object pronoun may replace a sentence’s direct object, indirect object, or the object of the preposition. The object pronoun me is typically used as the direct or indirect object of a sentence. It receives the action of the verb or shows the result of the action. So you shouldn’t really say “Me ran.” You can say “My dog ran to me,” because in this case me is receiving the action of the dog running.
As we’ve already noted, the use of me is also appropriate following a linking verb like is, was, or were.
Examples of me in a sentence
- My grandfather bought me a book. (object)
- Give me the money. (object)
- Albert, is that you? – Yes, it’s me. (after a linking verb)
If me is the object of a sentence (or part of the object), and the sentence is constructed appropriately, then you can start it with me.
See When do I use “I” instead of “me?” for a related discussion of I versus me.
The following sentence starts with me:
✔ Me and Sal: tell us what you want.
The object of the verb (telling) is us, which is composed of me and Sal.
For example:
✘ Tell I what you want.
✔ Tell me what you want.
It’s the same (grammatically) as this:
✔ The ball: kick it here.
The object of the verb (kicking) is it, which is the ball.
The only thing that normally prevents this type of sentence from being used is that it’s unusual. But that’s a matter of style, not grammar.
There could be other types of sentences that could also start with me.
If you are being scolded for using me and Sal, then it’s likely you’re using an ungrammatical construction.
For instance:
✘ Me went to the store.
✘ Me and Sal went to the store.
✘ Sal and me went to the store.✔ I went to the store.
✔ Sal and I went to the store.
？ I and Sal went to the store.
The final version is actually grammatical (in terms of syntax), but it’s not stylistically normal. Typically, we put I last. So, the final version could be considered «wrong» by many people. However, despite violating conventional style, it is, nonetheless, grammatical in terms of following the rules of syntax. And if somebody does consider it wrong, it’s not because of the use of I specifically, but because of where it’s located.
Although these two are written and pronounced completely differently, «me» and «I» are often used interchangeably or used in the wrong context.
Let’s uncover the main difference between them and the correct ways to use these words!
Me vs. I
The main difference between «me» and «I» is very easy to remember, as it simply refers to the pronoun type. More exactly, «I» is always used as a subject, while «me» is used as an object. This small and simple difference actually dictates in which situations you should use each. Let’s take a closer look at these situations!
When do we use «I»?
As «I» represents a subject, it is therefore used to indicate the person who performs an action, the subject of a sentence or phrase:
Example 1: I went to the theatre with Chuck.
Example 2: Chuck and I went to the theatre.
In both cases, the word «I» is referring to the person who performed the action, who went to a certain place and therefore is the subject of the message.
When do we use «me»?
«Me» is used as the direct or indirect object in a sentence and is always used to express the object of the message. A good trick to remember whether you should use «me» in a phrase would be to ask the question «to whom?», or «for who»? If «me» answers any of these questions, then it is certainly an object and should be used in the sentence.
Example 1: Casey gave Sarah and me tickets to his show. — Here, «me» refers to the person who received something. The question you might ask is «Whom has Casey given his tickets to?». The answer would not be: Casey gave I a ticket.
Example 2: This gift is for me. — answering the question «for who?», «me» is used correctly in this context as it expresses the object who receives something.
Example 3: She told me to go away. — Again, answering the question «Whom?», the object «me» supports the action of the verb.
Conclusion
If you are able to make the distinction between the subject and the object of a sentence, you should be equipped to understand whether you should use «I» or «me». Remember the examples discussed above and you won’t be confused anymore.
- Gordon drove Nancy and I to the library. [Gordon drove I to the library.]
- Gordon drove Nancy and me to the library. [Gordon drove me to the library.]
Which one sounds right? If you picked the second one, Gordon drove me, you’re correct.
Here’s another example, which tests two pronouns in one sentence:
- Her and me went to Miami Beach for spring break. [Her went to Miami Beach. Me went to Miami Beach.]
- She and I went to Miami Beach for spring break. [She went to Miami Beach. I went to Miami Beach.]
Again, the second one shows the correct usage.
By
Last updated:
August 16, 2022
One of the most important words in the English language is only three little letters.
It’s the word “the”!
It might be small, but knowing when to use “the” in English can be a big problem for learners.
Let’s find out everything there is to know about this small but powerful word!
Contents
- Why “The” Is Essential in English
- How to Practice Using “The” in English
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- Learn it from real-world resources.
- Use “the” in conversation.
- Try writing sentences with “the.”
- When to Use “The” in English: The Definitive Guide
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- Getting specific.
-
- Hearing unspoken words.
- British versus American English usage.
- Talking generally about a group.
- Talking about some countries.
- Talking about geography.
- Highlighting uniqueness.
- Making something special.
- Giving importance.
- Keeping things in order.
- When Not to Use “The”
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- Talking about some proper names.
- Using an “understood” possessive.
- Speaking about something in general.
- When to Use “A” or “An” Instead of “The”
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- Talking about single, non-specific items.
- Matching “a” or “an” to the words they describe.
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- Vowels that don’t sound like vowels.
- The letter “h.”
- “Historic(al)” debate.
Why “The” Is Essential in English
Over 150 languages in the world have no word that means the same thing as “the” in English. So, it might be hard to imagine why English needs the word “the” at all.
Modern English, though, has a very different grammar than many other languages. It doesn’t have a lot of cases (changes in words that show changes in meaning).
For example, in Romanian, copil is “(a) child,” but copilul is “the child.” Romanian doesn’t use a separate word for “the,” because “the” is part of the word.
Many languages work in a similar way to Romanian: You don’t learn a separate word for “the,” but you learn to change the words themselves to reflect (show) their meanings.
Instead of changing the words themselves, English depends on little words such as “the” to express certain meanings. These are called articles and include the words “the,” “a” and “an.”
The words “a” and “an” are indefinite articles because they’re used to talk about non-specific things. The word “the” is a definite article and it’s used to talk about specific things.
When you use “the” correctly in English, you accomplish (do) two very important things:
- Make your meaning clear. Using “the”—or, sometimes, not using it—can be a way to say more clearly what you mean. We’ll talk in detail about when and why you should use “the” in English.
- Sound more like a native. Native English speakers expect to hear “the” often, but not just used randomly (for no reason). When you use “the” correctly, your English will sound more fluent.
How to Practice Using “The” in English
To get good at using “the” the right way, even as a beginner to English, you’ll need to practice it. This means both seeing and hearing how it’s used by native speakers, and trying to use it yourself.
Learn it from real-world resources.
When you’re first getting familiar with “the,” try to get an idea of how it’s used by English speakers.
Look for it in simple books, such as children’s books that help you learn English grammar.
Listen for it in English-language songs.
Hear it used in English conversations.
Watch and listen for it in real-world English videos, like the ones that you’ll find in the FluentU language learning program. Look up “the” in the video dictionary to see all its in-context usage examples across our video library, then practice it with personalized quizzes and flashcards.
Use “the” in conversation.
When you practice speaking in English, pay attention to when you should use “the.”
If you’re talking with someone, face-to-face or on the phone, listen for when the other person uses “the.” Then, try to mirror (copy) them.
For example, if your friend were to say, “The weather here is terrible,” you could say, “Why is the weather so bad?”
Try writing sentences with “the.”
Include “the” in the sentences you create when you practice English writing.
If you’re not sure when to use “the” or a similar word (like “a” or “an”), you can try grammar exercises to help you see how “the” should—or shouldn’t—be used.
These exercises will also help you figure out when to use no article (words like “the,” “a” or “an”):
- The English 4U Articles Exercise has shorter sentences, and is better for beginners studying British English.
- In the English Articles Final Test from EnglishPage.com, the sentences in Part 1 are shorter and simpler. The sentences in Part 2 are more for intermediate (mid-level) learners.
- EnglishCurrent has exercises for learners at all levels to practice using “the,” “an” or “a.”
When to Use “The” in English: The Definitive Guide
Knowing when to use “the” in English isn’t always easy. We’ll look at some examples and guidelines (general rules).
There are many reasons to use “the” in English. Here are a few common ones.
Getting specific.
Especially in American English, “the” is used to talk about a specific person, place or thing.
Let’s say you were having lunch at a restaurant. If there were soups, salads, burgers and sandwiches on the menu, you could say, “I’ll have the spinach salad and the mushroom burger.”
The restaurant would likely have more than one salad or burger available (ready), but you’re using “the” to state that you want those specific menu items, based on all other possible choices.
Here are a few more examples of this very common way to use the word “the”:
- “I want to adopt the puppy we saw yesterday.” (You don’t just want any puppy, you want that specific puppy.)
- “I’ll get the kids ready to go outside.” (You’re referring to a group of specific kids, maybe yours or ones who you’re responsible for.)
- “Did you play the game all night?” (You’re interested in a specific game, not any game—most likely one that you’ve spoken about before.)
Hearing unspoken words.
You might hear a friend say, “I’m going to the store to get some potatoes.” Since there is more than one store, which one would be “the” store?
Later that night, you’re watching the news. You hear that someone was injured (hurt), and “taken to the hospital.” Again, you know that there is more than one hospital, so this is a little confusing.
It helps to understand that there are unspoken words in these sentences.
For example, when we say, “the store” or “the hospital,” we might really be saying “the [closest] store” or “the [local] hospital.” The movie “The Naked Gun” makes fun of this, giving their hospital the literal name “The Hospital” (but your local hospital is likely to have an actual name!).
You could also say, “I’m going to the office” when you mean, “I’m going to the office where I work.” That’s another example of hidden or unspoken words.
British versus American English usage.
For certain words, such as “hospital,” British and American English use of the word “the” will be different. Let’s look at a few examples:
| Word(s)/Concept(s) | American English | British English |
|---|---|---|
| Hospital | «I was in the hospital.» | «I was in hospital.» |
| Market | “We went to the market.” | “We went to market.” |
| Seasons of the Year | “He wears warm clothes in the winter.” | “He wears warm clothes in winter.” |
| Days of the Week | “She went there on Monday.” | “She went there on the Monday.” |
Try to focus on the rules for the type of English you’re studying, but don’t worry too much about these differences.
Fluent speakers of American English and British English can usually understand each other fairly easily. So, no matter which set of rules you follow for these special words, native and fluent English speakers should still understand you.
Talking generally about a group.
You can use “the” with a singular noun to talk about a whole group.
So, for instance, you could say, “The cat is a furry animal.” Of course, there are many, many cats in the world. But when you say, “The cat is a furry animal,” people will know that you’re talking about cats as a species (special group).
“The” is used to talk about other groups in general:
- “The English and the Italians played in the World Cup.”
- “The elderly (older people) have different needs than the young.”
Talking about some countries.
English doesn’t normally use “the” with country names. For example, you would not say, “the Germany,” “the France” or “the Croatia.” However, there are exceptions (examples that don’t follow the rules).
We do use “the” in English when talking about countries comprised (made up) of many lands, territories, states or islands:
- The Philippines
- The Bahamas
- The Netherlands
Talking about geography.
You would use “the” in front of names of oceans, rivers, seas, straits and gulfs—as well as mountain ranges:
- The Indian Ocean
- The Mississippi River
- The Caspian Sea
- The Bering Strait
- The Gulf of Mexico
- The Pyrenees
A few bays would also use “the,” usually when their names follow the pattern, “the Bay of ______”:
- The Bay of Bengal
- The Bay of Fundy
- The Bay of Kotor
Natives to the American states of Maryland and Virginia almost always call their shared bay “the Chesapeake Bay,” even though it doesn’t follow the usual pattern.
San Francisco Bay and Paradise Bay, on the other hand, would not use “the.”
Highlighting uniqueness.
When there’s only one of something, we use “the” when we’re talking about it.
There’s only one universe—so we say that it’s the universe.
In the universe, there are billions of stars—but only one sun around which our planet orbits (circles). So, we call it “the sun.”
There are billions of planets in the universe. But there is only one home planet for humans right now, which we call “the earth.”
Making something special.
Sometimes, very ordinary English words are used to talk about something special and unique. For instance, 50 states make up a particular country called “the United States.” And the leader of that country—the President—lives in a pale building we call “the White House.”
Both “white” and “house” are ordinary (common) words, as are “united” and “states”—so we use “the” to make it clear that we’re talking about something very specific.
The same is true when we talk about “the European Union,” “the United Nations,” “the United Kingdom” or “the World Cup.”
Giving importance.
Adding “the” can show importance.
During a heated discussion (talk), you might say, “That’s not the point.”
When you say this, you’re telling your listener know that they aren’t understanding the main point of your argument.
If you say, “You’re the love of my life,” you’re telling someone special that they’re the greatest love in your entire (whole) life. Even if you’ve been in love before, that person is “the one” for you.
“The one” isn’t always about romance. Sometimes, it simply means, “the one that I want” or “the one you’re talking about.”
Keeping things in order.
“The” is often used when describing the order of things. It’s used with ordinal numbers in English, like “first,” “second,” “third” or “eighteenth.”
“The” can be used with words like “most,” “only,” “best” and “worst.” (These types of words, which change the meaning of nouns and other words in English, are called adjectives.)
For example, in a romantic moment, you might say, “The first time we met, I knew you were the only one for me. And I knew this would be the last time I’d fall in love. The worst days of my life are behind me now. I want to spend the best part of my life with you.”
You can also use “the” with dates. For example, “The United States celebrates Independence Day on the fourth of July.” Or, “Children dress up for Halloween on the thirty-first of October.” (The word “day” is unspoken. You’d really be saying, “the fourth day of July” or “the thirty-first day of October.”)
When Not to Use “The”
It’s just as important to know when not to use “the.” There are a few guidelines for figuring this out.
Talking about some proper names.
“The” is not used with given (personal) names or family names in English, unless you’re using a last name to talk about a family group. For example, you would never say “the Mary” or “the Mr. Smith” but you can say “the Smiths are going shopping.”
For many company names, you might only add “the” when you used the full name. For instance, the full name of Disney would be “The Walt Disney Company.”
You wouldn’t use “the” unless you added something before or after the name:
- “We went to the McDonald’s down the street.”
- “I wanted the mobile I saw at the Vodafone store in High Street.”
- “The local Tesco just started selling a new brand of hot sauces.”
When you add words like “company,” “corporation” or “association” after a proper name, you can add “the” in front of the proper name.
Some proper names, like names of corporations (big companies), use the word “the” as part of their names. For example, “The Home Depot” is a large North American store that sells hardware and building supplies.
“The” is often not used with the names of schools, colleges and universities:
- “He got a degree from Harvard University.”
- “Bart and Lisa are students at Springfield Elementary School.”
- “Rydell High held a school dance.”
- “The students at Hogwarts live in four houses.”
However, if you were talking about a school with a name like “the University of Maryland” or “the University of Exeter,” you would use “the” before the word “university.”
Using an “understood” possessive.
You’ll often hear native English speakers say things like, “I’m going to work after I drive my daughter to school.”
“To work” or “to school” almost sound like verbs in their infinitive (basic, unchanged) forms.
In this case, though, “work” and “school” are both physical places. Yet, you wouldn’t use “the” in front of either “work” or “school” in this sentence.
Imagine that there are unspoken or “understood” possessives (words that show belonging) in sentences like this. So, “I’m going to work after I drive my daughter to school” could be understood as “I’m going to (my) work(place) after I drive my daughter to (her) school.”
Speaking about something in general.
When you’re talking about more than one non-specific item, like “books” or “fruits” or “vegetables,” you wouldn’t use “the.”
If you’re speaking generally about some personal qualities, such as “patience” or “kindness,” you’d leave out the word “the”:
- “Books can teach us a lot.”
- “Fruits and vegetables are good for health.”
- “Patience is a virtue.”
- “Kindness makes it easier to get along with others.”
When to Use “A” or “An” Instead of “The”
There are times when you want to talk about just one of something—and you aren’t talking about a specific something.
That’s when you’d use “a” or “an” in English.
Talking about single, non-specific items.
If you want to talk about a single item—or even a person—and you’re not talking about any special one, you can use “a” or “an” instead of “the”:
- “A boy was eating an apple while reading a book about a toy train.”
Or you might say, “I’d like a cup of coffee, please.” You’re not asking for a specific cup of coffee. Any cup of coffee at all will do.
Matching “a” or “an” to the words they describe.
“A” and “an” mean exactly the same thing and are used basically the same way.
“A” is used with words that start with consonant sounds.
“An” is used with words that start with vowel sounds.
We’ll look at this more closely—especially for cases where you have to be extra careful when choosing between “a” and “an.”
Vowels that don’t sound like vowels.
English words like “Europe,” “use” and “universe” start with a vowel, but not a vowel sound.
So you’d say, “a European country,” but not “an European vacation.”
Let’s say you were talking about how a certain word is spelled. With letter names that start with vowel sounds, you’d use “an.”
For instance, you might say, “There’s an e in the beginning of the word ‘Europe.’” But, you could then say, “The second letter in ‘Europe’ is a u.”
The letter “h.”
The letter h at the start of an English word can be a problem.
Sometimes, it’s pronounced (said) like a consonant. Think of the English words “history” and “help” and “helmet.”
Other times, the h in English silent. The first sound you hear in a word starting with an h might a vowel. In the words “hour,” “honest” and “heir,” the letter h is not pronounced.
Let’s see this in action:
- “An honest man named Harpo was an heir to the throne of Freedonia. A history of his country says that he often wore a helmet.”
“Historic(al)” debate.
A very special case is the word “historic.” Even native English speakers can’t agree whether we should use “a” or “an” with “historic.”
This is also a problem with a related word, “historical.”
The good news is that you can use either “a” or “an.” You might hear either one from native English speakers.
With the examples we’ve looked at, “the” will be less of a mystery to you.
So, the next time you speak or write in English, you’ll have a better idea whether or not to use “the,” “a” or “an.” And that’s an important step to becoming a more fluent English speaker!
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Adverbs can take different positions in a sentence. It depends on the type of sentence and on what role the adverb plays and what words the adverb defines, characterizes, describes.
Most often, we put adverbs after the verb but before adjectives, other adverbs, or participles.
She walked quickly away.
He runs slowly along.
Adverb and three main positions
There are three main positions for an adverb in a sentence:
- before the verb
- at the beginning of a sentence
- at the end of a sentence
Let’s look at these positions separately.
At the end
We put an Adverb at the end of a sentence after the predicate and the object.
The water is rising fast.
At the beginning
We put an adverb at the beginning of a sentence before the subject.
Today I have a piano lesson.
In the middle
Most often, we put an adverb in the middle of a sentence. But “middle” is not an accurate concept. Where exactly this middle is located, it depends on the words next to which we use the adverb.
- In interrogative sentences, we put an adverb between the subject and the main verb.
Did he often go out like that?
- If the predicate in the sentence is only one verb, then we put the adverb before the verb.
You rarely agree with me.
- If the predicate contains more than one word, then we put the adverb after the modal verb or after the auxiliary verb (if there is a modal verb or auxiliary verb).
You must never do this again.
There are adverbs that we can put before a modal verb or an auxiliary verb.
He surely can prepare for this.
Adverb placement depending on the type of adverb
The place of an adverb depends on what type of adverbs it belongs to. Different adverbs can appear in different places.
Adverbs of manner
We usually use Adverbs of manner:
- before main verbs
- after auxiliary verbs
- at the end of the sentence
- If the verb is in the Passive Voice, then we use an adverb between the auxiliary verb and the verb in the third form.
- We usually use Adverbs of manner after the verb or after the Object.
- We can NOT use an Adverb of manner between the verb and direct object. If the sentence has a verb and a direct object, then we use an adverb of manner before the verb or after the object.
- Usually we put an adverb of manner that answers the question HOW after the verb or after the verb and the object.
She held the baby gently.
We are running slowly.
- We usually put the adverbs well, fast, quickly, immediately, slowly at the end of a sentence.
I wrote him an answer immediately.
The truck picked up speed slowly.
Adverbs of Frequency
Adverbs of frequency are adverbs that indicate how often, with what frequency an action occurs.
Adverbs of frequency answer the question “How often?“
- Most often we put Adverbs of frequency before the main verb.
- We can use normally, occasionally, sometimes, usually at the beginning of a sentence or at the end of a sentence.
- We usually put Adverbs of frequency that accurately describe the time (weekly, every day, every Saturday) at the end of a sentence.
We have another board meeting on Monday.
I wish we could have fried chicken every week.
Maybe we could do this every month.
- We put Adverbs of frequency after the verb to be if the sentence contains the verb to be in the form of Present Simple or Past Simple.
My routine is always the same.
- We often use usually, never, always, often, sometimes, ever, rarely in the middle of a sentence.
I often wish I knew more about gardening.
- We can use usually at the beginning of a sentence.
Usually, I keep it to myself.
Adverbs of degree
Adverbs of degree express the degree to which something is happening. These are such adverbs as:
- almost
- absolutely
- completely
- very
- quite
- extremely
- rather
- just
- totally
- We put Adverbs of degree in the middle of a sentence.
- We put Adverbs of degree after Auxiliary Verbs.
- We put Adverbs of degree after modal verbs.
I feel really guilty about that.
- We put Adverbs of degree before adjectives.
When guns speak it is too late to argue.
- We put Adverbs of degree before other adverbs.
He loses his temper very easily.
- Sometimes we put Adverbs of degree before modal verbs and before auxiliary verbs. Usually, we use such adverbs as:
- certainly
- definitely
- really
- surely
You definitely could have handled things better.
I think I really could have won.
- The adverb enough is an exception to this rule. We put the Adverb enough after the word it characterizes.
I have lived long enough.
Adverbs of place and time
Let’s see where we use the adverbs of place and adverbs of time.
- Most often we put the adverb of place and time at the end of the sentence.
I thought you didn’t have family nearby.
They found her place in Miami yesterday.
- We put monosyllabic adverbs of time (for example, such as now, then, soon) before main verbs but after auxiliary verbs including the verb to be.
Now imagine you see another woman.
Yes, he is now a respectable man.
- We can use adverbs of place and time at the very beginning of a sentence when we want to make the sentence more emotional.
Today, we have to correct his mistakes.
- We put the adverbs here and there at the end of the sentence.
Independent thought is not valued there.
- Most often we put adverbs of place and time after the verb or verb + object.
I can’t change what happened yesterday.
You have to attend my wedding next month.
- Most often we put such adverbs as towards, outside, backward, everywhere, nearby, downstairs, southward, at the end of the sentence or in the middle of the sentence, but immediately after the verb.
I made iced tea and left it downstairs.
With this speaker, you can hear everything outside.
I can run backward!
- We put adverbs of time that accurately define the time (for example, yesterday, now, tomorrow) at the end of the sentence.
The ship is going to be back tomorrow.
He wants it to happen now.
If we want to emphasize time, we can put an adverb that accurately specifies the time at the beginning of the sentence.
Tomorrow I’m moving to Palais Royal.
Adverbs that show the speaker’s degree of confidence.
Let’s talk about the place in the sentence occupied by Adverbs that show the speaker’s degree of confidence in what the speaker is saying.
- We can put at the beginning of the sentence such adverbs as:
- definitely
- perhaps
- probably
- certainly
- clearly
- maybe
- obviously
Certainly, you have an opinion about that.
Definitely think twice before correcting one of your mistakes again.
Maybe someone else was in her apartment that night.
We can also put adverbs like this in the middle of a sentence:
They’ll probably name a street after me.
This assumption is clearly no longer valid.
Adverbs that emphasize the meaning of the word they describe
The next group of adverbs is adverbs that emphasize the meaning of the word they describe.
- Look at the following adverbs:
- very
- really
- terribly
- extremely
- almost
- quite
- pretty
We usually put such adverbs in the middle of the sentence before the word that these adverbs characterize.
He is very tired.
She found it extremely difficult to get a job.
I’m quite happy to wait for you here.
Adverbs defining a verb
- We put an adverb after the verb to be. If the adverb defines the verb to be in one of its forms.
He was never a good man.
- If an adverb defines another adverb or adjective, then we put such an adverb most often before the word that it defines.
I can see it quite clearly.
They walked rather slowly.
Adverbs connecting sentences
Adverbs can connect sentences in a logical sequence.
Such adverbs can appear at the beginning of the sentence or in the middle of the sentence. These are such adverbs as:
- next
- anyway
- however
- besides
- next
Adverbs that explain the speaker’s point of view
Let’s take a look at Adverbs that explain the speaker’s point of view in what he says.
- fortunately
- surprisingly
- personally
We most often put them at the beginning of the sentence.
Honestly, I wish I had time to do more reading.
Often their homes are their only major material possession.
We can put some of these adverbs at the end of a sentence.
I know what you’ve done for me, honestly.
Always, Never, and Only
Now let’s talk about some adverbs separately. These are very popular adverbs that we often use in English.
- Always and never.
We usually put always and never in the middle of the sentence before the verb they define.
The bread always falls buttered side down.
Love is never paid but with true love.
- Only.
Only is an incredibly popular adverb. Most often, we put only before the word that the adverb only characterizes.
Wisdom is only found in truth.
A man can only die once.
Additional tips
If we have two or more adverbs to define one verb, then the order of these adverbs should be as follows:
- Adverb of manner
- Adverb of place
- Adverb of time
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